Dark-lantern



(No Model.)

0. H. DENISON.

' DABK LANTERN.

No. 431,563. Patented July 8, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. DENISON, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

DARK-LANTERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No: 431,563, dated July 8,1 890.

Application filed JannaryQ, 1888. Serial No. 260.237. (N0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. DENISON, of the city of Springfield,county of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, have invented Improvements inDark-Lanterns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in the combination, with the casing of adark-lantern, of two screens, each supported by a rod having bearings inthe vertical axis of the lantern, a handle for carrying the lantern, anda thumb-lever having one end in close proximity to said handle and theother end connected to the rods within said lantern, substantially ashereinafter described.

My invention further consists in certain combinations andsub-combinations to be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-sectional View, inside elevation, of a lantern embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is across-sectional plan view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are views showingdetails of parts of same.

Referring to the drawings, the .casing A of the lantern is of well-knownconstruction, provided with aventilating-hood, and having supports orhandles h h and a lens B of ordinary bulls-eye form. Vithin said casin gis placed a wick-lamp L, secured to the casing by a screw and socket S,so that the wick will always be in a proper relation to the focus of thelens. The reflector R, which is curved and located to concentrate thereflected light also in the focus of the lens, is rigidly secured to thecasing. Suitable air-space is provided under and around the lamp L, andthe top of the lamp-reservoir is shown depressed to catch any overflowof oil and allow it to run back into the reservoir. \Vithin thestructure thus formedI mountthe screens C C, soldered upon the pivotedarms a a. Said arms a a, carry ing screens 0 C, are pivoted on rods orwires 9 p, which move in the support 6, and are supported and held inproper upright position by passing up through the hood of the casing.Hooks r 0 connect between the arms a a and the cross-wire w, to which isattached a leverlike projection-D, which has its fulcrum at ff andextends upward between the handles it h by which the structure is heldor carried.

The operation of the screen-moving mech anism is as follows: The screens0 0 being in the. position shown, by depressing the latch or lever-likeproj ect-ion D with the thumb the screens 0 O are quickly broughttogether at the point X opposite the center of the lens. To withdraw thescreens to the position shown, the lever-like projection D is lifted tothe position shown. As there 'is no spring to operate the lever-likeproject-ion D, it will remain in the position into which it is thrown.this construction of the screen each half passes through a limitedspace, moves easily and quickly, and can be partially opened with goodeffect, as the light from the partiallyopened screen is at the focus ofthe lens. To completely close the screens, they are adapted to slightlylap by each other. To allow a concentrated focused light to escapebetween the screens, I cut a semicircular notch in each, so that whenbrought together and not lapped there will be a round hole at X in linewith the flame ofthe lamp and the focus of the cal axis of the lantern,one or more handles it, attached to the lantern, and a pivoted leverhaving one end in close proximity to the supporting-handle and the otherend connected to the crank-rods, substantially as described.

CHAS. H. DENISON. WVitnesses:

JOSEPH W. BUELL, JOHN PETTIGREW.

